Democrats in Congress may give states billions more in Medicaid reimbursements as part of a second economic stimulus package they hope to pass before Congress adjourns this month. (Kaiser Network)
Proponents seek to make sure recipients aren’t “kicked out” of the Medicaid program and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and may require states to agree not to cut eligibility. At the same time, proponents aim to deal with budget deficits, which 29 states will face in 2009. As a result, some of these states will cut health care spending.
In other Medicaid news, two prominent Democrats sent a letter to President Bush, advising him to reject a Medicaid regulation they say would result in $350 million in lost funding for 400,000 recipients in New York. (Kaiser Network)
Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer wrote that the law “would have an unacceptable impact on care and treatment for the low-income families that are in the greatest need of specialized health care services.”
The Bush administration contends the regulation is designed to prevent Medicaid reimbursements for abuses in the system. Jeff Nelligan, spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said, “This rule enhances the integrity of the Medicaid program, ensuring that the services provided [to] our Medicaid recipients are effective and that taxpayers are receiving the full value of the funds spent on Medicaid…”
